I’ve only run the 5K distance once before at the beginning of August. My time was 44 minutes and I was exhausted! I had no desire to repeat that performance. When my son came and ran my long run with me last weekend, he pointed out that my pace had improved significantly since then, and my stamina. All I would need to do to achieve a sub 40 minute 5K would be to keep my pace under 8’ /km. 5 x 8 = 40. Simples! He’s always been good at maths 😂. Then Plattszo did a sub 40 minute 5K and the inspiration was there!
I’ve always been one of the slower runners on here, which is one of the reasons I’ve switched to something I *can* do, run slower for longer! But perhaps it was time to try another 5K. I started to work out my strategy! If I could even keep to under 7’ 30” ......no, stop! Don’t try and aim too high, it could all go horribly wrong!! 😬
I find it really difficult to judge my pace and nearly always set off too fast. A cracking first km would mean I would burn out far too soon, so I aimed for a pace of about 7’ 45”, then I would increase slightly each km. First km was 7’30”. Mmmm. Not disastrous, I’ll work with it! After that, for the most part I kept to my plan. The last km was the fastest at 6’55”, faster than I would have expected! 😀
I did it! 5K time 36:43 🥰 An improvement of over 7 minutes. The best thing was, I wasn’t exhausted, although I certainly knew I’d had a workout! This time, I was ready for that distance and felt that I did it justice.
Happy porridge for breakfast, the breakfast of champions! 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️😀
Splits: 7:30, 7:24, 7:21, 7:24, 6:55
Written by
Jools2020
Graduate10
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Fabulous improvement, and negative splits too! I've never come close to those; where I live my 5k routes are all downhill at the start and uphill at the end. They go up and down in between as well...
Thanks 🙏 I’ve found that if I don’t at least try to get a slower first km, then I struggle to play catch-up for the rest of the run. I don’t have to bother about hills at all, as I live in the Norfolk Fens 😂. Elevation gain often doesn’t register on Garmin at all, and for this run, Strava interpreted it as zero 😀
I'm in the Massif Central, where hills are not optional 😂 😂 😂
Even my flattest 4-5k runs start about 650m elevation, with the lowest point approx. 590m. Lowest cumulative elevation gain over 5k was 21m, and the subsequent cool-down walk was from 590m to 680m elevation!
Thanks 🙏 I'm certainly fitter than I was when I started C25K four months ago, but won't be taking on Paula Radcliffe any day soon!
Also, for me, so much of it is mental. Telling myself that I can perfectly well get as far as the next tree, then as far as the house, then as far as the junction, etc has worked wonders for getting me up hills.
Not to mention my late Mum's voice in my head, saying "Never, ever give up." She'd come back and haunt me if I did (and would undoubtedly be giggling away at what I've just typed.)
My Mum used to say “if something is worth doing, then it’s worth doing well” 🙂. So I always try and give anything I do my best shot! I’m sure our Mums would be proud of us 😀
Wow! Well done! My first 5k was also about 44mins. Fastest to date has been a little over 42. I look forward to increasing my pace as much as you have!
Thanks! I’m convinced it’s the slow running (pace between 9 - 10 mins/km) that’s helped. One of my runs is speed work, either intervals or a short, fast run 2-3 km, and then a 30 minute run doing what I fancy! Usually 4K - but this time I felt ready to try the 5K again. By the way, stride length is in the garmin data for each run. Mine increased (I wasn’t aware of it) from 77 cm to 83 cm when my pace increased. I’ve no idea what significance that has, if any 😀
Very interesting. My stride was .77 when I tried to run as fast as I could for a short run. But is typically between .66 and .69. Which is hilarious when one considers that I am 6' with a 35" inseam! I actually think it's my hip flexors and right IT band that shorten my stride - I can feel the strain around my right hip and upper leg on a long run. I am seeing a physiatrist on Monday in the hope that some physio will solve some of it. As my cadence averages 170 steps per minute, I think the only way to get faster is to go further with each step! I think that will come with time and strength. My longest run so far was 6.5km at 8:52 on average.
Thanks for giving me hope that I might naturally get a little faster!
That’s interesting. My stride length is only .83 when I’m pushing it! But I’m 5’ 8” with not particularly long legs. My average cadence on a faster run is 166. Wow, yes - you’ve got long enough legs to think that your stride length would be much longer than mine! It does seem to point to a problem somewhere that is holding you back.
Stats for my recent long run: 10.03 km average pace 9:23 and I kept in heart rate zone 3. It means I can do it without being out of breath at the end - it takes about 90 minutes. I’m tired, sure, but not out of breath! I would expect my stride length to be shorter on this run and it was at .73.
Interesting! I've a 95cm stride (according to the watch) and I'm approx 6ft tall with a 33" inside leg. My average cadence is about 160 spm. Towards graduation I was reaching 5:30/km at fastest, averaging 6min/km.
When I get off the IC at the weekend I'll be aiming for 8min/km runs or slower.
It sounds like a plan, nowster. Best to take it steady and build up again. I’ve just got back from a shorter, faster run and my average stride length was .89 on this run, so I was really stepping it out 😀
Well, clearly I am taking short mincing steps! I am fairly convinced with an already fairly high turnover rate I just need to lengthen my stride. Perhaps easier said than done but we shall what the physio says!
As you say, see what the physio says. My increase in stride length isn’t something I’m consciously doing - I asked a while ago if I should try and increase it, and was told probably not wise. I believe that part of the reasoning behind that is that it’s possible to introduce problems - e.g. heel strike.
That would be my big concern. So I think it's about a stronger push off from the back foot so one still lands with hips over foot. My right big toe barely bends at all so that may be wishful thinking for me...ah well, at least I'm running! I do take solace however in the fact that your stride is increasing, and thus your pace, without trying!
No point in looking at the toe. It was first looked at when I was 12! It's just the way I'm built. My joints go too far in one direction and not far enough in the other. I can't sit on my haunches because my ankles won't bend enough. I can't do a lot of yoga poses because my hands don't bend back at the wrist to 90 degrees. Yet I have loose ligaments so am injury prone. So much fun.
Congratulations, such a relatable post.Thank you for this post and the inspiration. I know it’s an older post and I read it at the time. It came up the other day as a “next post”and I re-read it and thought I’d aim to increase my pace in a similar fashion. I also love my long, slow runs and my 5k time had always been 41.30. I therefore set out aiming to keep each km at or under 8min/k to achieve sub 40, and I did it! I achieved a new PB of 38:33, thanks for the inspirational push, happy running 🏃🏽♀️
I know just how that feels! Of course, you know that, you read my post 😊
Happy to have been the inspirational push for you. I haven’t improved on that time, but I’ve done a few sub 40 minute 5Ks and it always feels good. As a slower runner (I now have 3 10 milers under my belt) it still feels good to have a burst of speed now and again 😊
Thank you. I agree, congrats on 10 miles, I am aiming to hit 10K before Christmas then 10 mile next challenge. I surprised myself liking a bit of speed, but for shorter runs lol 🥵Thanks again
To improve pace on the shorter runs, try some interval work. I sometimes do 60 seconds of sprinting 90 seconds slow jogging. 8 times, then slow jog to make it up to 4K. Try that once a week for a while. You’ll see the benefits 👍
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I'm certainly fitter than I was when I started C25K four months ago, but won't be taking on Paula Radcliffe any day soon! 
A 5k PB :)
5k PB! 😊🥇🏃♀️
New 5k PB (and race bling!!!)
5k PB Last run of the year! 😀
